Morning journal and courier., 1887-09-16
A CHARMING TOWN.
Among the Berkshire Hills.

PITTsFIELD, Mass, Sept. 13.-A through
 ticket and a few hours of railway ride
 brought us from your city to this heart of
 the Berkshire hills. Coming by way of
 Springfield the delightful ascent-the grade
 being eighty feet to the mile at one point
 of the eastern slope of the Hoosac range of
 hills, with it's beautiful mountain stream so
 frequently crossing and recrossing the track,
 was made.
 This town, enthroned upon beautiful eDi-
 nences in the midst of lofty though distant
 hills, which are wooded for the most part,
 yet with many clearings and pastures stretch
 ing up their sides, delightful to the eye as cloud shadows, in the sunny days, sweep gracefully over, has stately elms and shady naples and excellent roads that invite the visitcr to out of doors pleasures of walk and drive. Through whichever street one may stroll, elimpses of the lovely mountain scene " are obtained.
 Magnificent views are peculiarities of the environs. The Davol place and Goodrich farm north, the Learned estate south and Onota hill, west of the central portion of the town, are particularly slightly places, and the panoramas seen thence are most beautiful and pleasing. A sweep of vision is obtained over extensive ' tracts of cultivated country, dotted with farm houses, limited only by the command ing hills in the distance, which seem | ranged like so many aboriginal chiefs con- | vened in council with 'fGreylock," fifteen
 miles away in g northerly direction, looming up as a presiding figure of the group.
 In colonial days, in the year 1754, we read ! that a raid of Indians from the vicinity of Lake Champlain threatened this region, and K that Connecticut men at once marched to Stockbridge to render aid, and history fur ! ther relates that Ffas soon the people of ! Connecticut received news of the danger they sent one hundred and thirty horses to Poontoosuc (Pittsfeld) to convey the women ! and children-and probably the men as well ito places of safety" During the French and Indian wars four garrisoned forts were located here, in which were located many Connecticut soldiers. The headwaters ot the Housatonic river course through this valley ' in separate streams, moving the machinery of many mills and furnishing employment to the thrifty inhabitants.
 The manufactures are blankets, fancy cas- simeres, broadcloths, satinets, fannels, wool ems, cloaks and shoes; besides these are 7 mines of iron ore and quarr1es ot stone. There are seven considerable brooks in the vicinity and five lakes; of the latter, Poon- tusuc and Onota are the largest. The latter is three miles long, by three e-fourths of a mile in width, and is the abiding place of \ bass, pickerel and other fish. On favorable \ days pebbles are discerned on the bottom at | a depth of twenty feet.
 | Some of the most beautiful farms to be | found in the State are located here, notably \ those of Messrs. Milton, Barber, Benedict, \ Allen, Campbell and z. Crane, jr, with their | splendid grass and crop lands in the highest state of cultivation, numerous shade trees scattered here and there, giving most pleas ' ing appearance to the landscape. MT. Cranes I is a dairy farm, with fine breeds of milch \ COWS, his butter rivalling that of the ''Starr Farm" At Litchfeld. notable buildingsis \ the Berkshire Atheneum, the gift of Thomas
 Allen, esq, erected in 1876, at cost of $50, ! OOO Mr. Allen left, in 1872, a residuary ! legacy of $60, 900 to the Atheneum. Mean while the town annually appropriates about ! S3 900 to it's maintenance, having paid $22,- | 900 for the land. It is of Gothic style, built of dark blue limestone with rock face, with ornamental stone work of red freestone and red granite of Missouri. It's dimensions are Here is found fine marble bust by Launt Thompson of General William F. Bartlett, the intellectual gentleman and soldier, the idol of Berkshire patriotism in the late war; also portrait of the general by E. L. Ives and portrait of Rev. Dr. John Todd, for thirty years a minister here-the father of Rev. Mir. Todd of your city. Rev. Heman Humphrey, native of Simsbury, Conn. officiated as pastor of the First Congregation al church here for six years, commencing with 1817,:. and then became president of Amherst college. It is said that his hand planted many of the stately elm trees now adorning the streets of the village. Here are to be found all of the conveniences of city life without it's burdens and annoyances The water supply is from Lake Ashley, seven miles distant, where g reservoir seven ] hundred feet above the village has
 an estimated capacity of 100, ,O00, 900 gallons. Street railways, telephone lines, gas, sewers,
 electric lights, paved streets, letter boxes, free letter delivery system, fire department with l fire alarm boxes and other city convenient es l contribute to the comfort of the inhabitants. Eligible building lots can be bought for sums ranging from $700 to $2,500, and commodi- ous cottages can be erected for from $1, ,500 | to $2, ,000, while comfortable homes have been
 built for $1,300. At present the greatest
 activity in building seems to prevail in the ! central and northern portions of the village. Among those who have been and are promi- | nent as business men may be mentioned the Pomeroys, Lemual, Theodore, Edward and Robert, descendants of General Seth Pome- r ,NoYS S~1